KPBS videographer Christopher Maue shoots near the Vallecito Lightning Complex wildfires on August 15, 2012. Photo courtesy of KPBS News.
In May, 14 fires erupted across San Diego County, burning 26,000 acres; destroying 46 homes and 19 other structures; spurring 121,000 evacuation notices, and causing nearly $30 million of property damage. It’s all San Diego talked about for a time. It’s a conversation that can’t stop.
Please join co-sponsors from the San Diego Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and California State University San Marcos for “Witness to Wildfires: Looking Through a Rear-View Mirror.” It will be a lively and timely expert panel discussion at the outset of another long, tough fire season. The discussion will be in Markstein Hall, room 125 on the San Marcos campus July 16 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. For those interested, a brief campus walking tour will precede the discussion at 6 p.m., starting in front of Markstein Hall.
Panelists include:
Cal Fire Battalion Chief Nick Schuler, incident commander for the May 2014 fires
Marine Col. Will Hooper, the deputy operations officer who discussed military aircraft operations with the media
Escondido Police Chief Craig Carter, whose department was active as fires raged across North County
KFMB/Channel 8 News Director Dean Elwood
U-T San Diego public safety editor/online news director Tom Mallory
A moderated discussion will be followed by ample time for audience questions.
The event is free and open to the public. The room holds 125 people, so get there early. There will be light refreshments, and complimentary parking will be available in parking lot F.
Signs on major campus streets will direct people to that lot, but a map can be downloaded here:http://www.csusm.edu/guide/documents/CSUSMCampusMap041814.pdf
Markstein Hall is Building 13 on the map. Lot F is located in the lower right corner.
Here are driving directions: http://www.csusm.edu/guide/index.html
San Diego Society of Professional Journalists 